US 7513238

Here is a concise summary of US Patent 7513238, "Directly injecting internal combustion engine," as of April 26, 2026:

Title: Directly injecting internal combustion engine

Current Assignee: Longhorn Automotive Group LLC

Inventors: Ruediger Pfaff, Martin Schnabel, Joachim Suess

Filing Date: October 15, 2004

Issue Date: April 7, 2009

Abstract: A directly injecting internal combustion engine features at least one cylinder with a combustion space where a piston oscillates. It includes an injection nozzle to inject fuel into this space. The piston has a recess in its central region with an elevation pointing towards the cylinder head. A surface of the piston recess, which is adjacent to the elevation and extends towards the recess edge, is connected to the elevation via a radius. This design ensures that an early injection jet impinging on this region is distributed both towards the elevation and the recess edge. Furthermore, this surface has an extent such that a late injection jet also impinges on it and is distributed in both the elevation and recess edge directions.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1: This claim describes a directly injecting internal combustion engine. It specifies that the engine has at least one cylinder with a combustion space and an oscillating piston. An injection nozzle introduces fuel into the combustion space. The piston features a recess with a central elevation extending towards the cylinder head. A key aspect is a surface within this piston recess that adjoins the central elevation and extends towards the recess edge. This surface is connected to the elevation by a radius. This specific geometry ensures that fuel injected as early as possible, impacting this surface, is distributed both towards the central elevation and towards the outer recess edge. Additionally, this surface is largely flat and has an upward slope towards the recess edge. This design ensures that even fuel injected as late as possible will still impinge on this surface and be distributed in both the elevation and recess edge directions.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
A search for US patent 7513238 in the CAFC 2026 dockets did not yield specific case filings for 2026. The information available indicates that there is litigation related to this patent, including an IPR case (IPR2025-01089) filed in 2025 that was not instituted procedurally [cite: Unified Patents_Longhorn Automotive_US7513238B2_12.17.2024]. Multiple US cases have been filed in the Texas Eastern District Court [cite: Unified Patents_Longhorn Automotive_US7513238B2_12.17.2024], but these are not specifically CAFC dockets for 2026. General information regarding CAFC case information is available, but no direct 2026 dockets for 7513238 were found.